RAW 1 Worksheet By Robert Crosswhite (1)
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Central Lakes College *
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Jan 9, 2024
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Part I Direction - Cultural Relativism Argument Summary: Summarize the main
points for each section listed below from the Rachels Chapter 2 Reading. You can
summarize the main points in a list or in paragraphs, but you will need to put the main
ideas of the argument into you own words. You should take note of what the premises and
conclusions are as you summarize the arguments and can use that language to connect the
ideas. You don’t have to summarize all the stories of the arguments; rather, just try to find
the main arguments and conclusions as they develop logically. Do not use direct quotes in
your summary; all summaries must be paraphrased into your own words. Do not add any
of your own reflection at this point into your discussion; simply, just summarize what the
reading states into your own words.
For each section listed below,
briefly
summarize the main points of that section into
your own words:
1) Summarize Section 2.2 Cultural Relativism (p17)
Cultural relativism challenges our belief of moral truth and says “There is no one right
answer” to cultural code, that there is no moral truth for every culture, and that we should not
judge other cultures for their different moral codes, but instead, we should be tolerant of them.
2) Summarize Section 2.3 Cultural Differences Argument (p18)
Rachels suggests that the Cultural Difference Argument is invalid. Cultural difference is
derived from the lack of knowledge to realize things are wrong because they have never been
told so or they blindly follow their culture without searching for themselves or questioning
norms.
3) Summarize Section 2.4 What Follows from Cultural Relativism (p20)
The basis of cultural relativism is that you should not condemn a society because it is
different from yours and that we should not judge a culture's morals when we do not understand
them fully.
4) Summarize Section 2.6 Some Values Are shared by all cultures (p24)
There are some moral rules that must be followed, otherwise society cannot come to be or
will break down because without rules everyone can do whatever they want and then you might
have everyone killing each other over food etc..
5) Summarize Section 2.7 Judging a Cultural Practice to Be Undesirable (p25)
Despite knowing about the terrible things in other cultures Americans are afraid to judge
other cultures because of our own past mistakes and are afraid that our culture would be judged
as well. Just because someone is culturally tolerant does not mean that everything that other
culture does must be equally as good to them.
6) Summarize Section 2.8 Back to the Five Claims (p28)
Some societies have different moral codes, but many values are shared by a lot of different
cultures. Moral code is tightly knitted to what people think as right and wrong. If you criticize
something as wrong, you should not stereotype it to any one country or culture.
7) Summarize Section 2.9 What Can We Learn from Cultural Relativism (p30)
There is no absolute rational standard, and it is good to keep an open mind when it comes
to different cultures and their differing ideas about morals.
Part II. Directions: In this part, you will need to explain in your own words the
following: Ethical Subjectivism, Simple Subjectivism, Emotivism, and Nihilism. You will
also need to explain the potential problems with each argument. Consider if these theories
work as a moral code for everyone?
Ethical Subjectivism:
Moral opinions are based on how we feel about the subject rather than common sense.
When something is not based on facts and is run off emotion then it loses any foundation. It is
now, whatever it wants to be and, if anyone ever starts arguing inside it, people take sides. It will
just split because they are running off emotion not logic, so they won’t settle the point with a
normal discussion. Ethical Subjectivism will never work for everyone, as a moral code, because
the people that do things based off logic will not be able to agree completely with a group that
where everyone is going off emotion.
Simple Subjectivism:
Subjectivism makes moral judgment a yes or no choice, which makes the people who are
more earnest always right in a moral sense. The major problem is it cannot account for
arguments involving ethics. The problem now is that you can’t argue while following simple
subjectivism, so I do not think this works for everyone either, at least, as a moral code.
Emotivism:
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Emotivism is similar to ethical subjectivism but is also a little different. Instead of
everything being only based off emotion, Emotivism is an expression of a writer's feelings and
does not say that this or that is true or false but only that this is their opinion on the subject at
hand. Like the other arguments, it is almost impossible to have a disagreement in emotivism.
Without being able to argue on anything I doubt that people who like to debate would like this
very much so no I do not think everyone can agree on this one either.
Nihilism:
In nihilism there is no absolute value, the concepts of good and evil are
vague. The major
problem with this is they think that morality does not exist. They think it is a mechanism for
others to control them, rather than a right or a wrong. This makes it so they have no moral
compass or values, which can be dangerous for them and the people around them. Without
morality, they are more likely to murder others or commit other activities most would consider
crimes. This is a large no for me. I highly doubt that this will be able to be agreed upon by
everyone much less even half the world.
Part III. Argument Reflection: Answer the following questions in one paragraph
minimum for each question and reflect in your own point of view.
1) If cultural/ethical/moral/ subjectivism and relativism have subjective moral
codes, can there be an objective moral code that we should use as we view moral dilemmas
and make a moral decision? What would that moral code have as some of its
characteristics in your view?
I think the Bible is the best moral code to base your decisions off and I think it can be a
very good crutch. It has many stories and examples of how to be a good person and gives a lot of
rules. By themselves, they are great for moral dilemmas because they are based on two
fundamental principles. The first deals with your relationship to the creator, and not others. The
second, tells you to treat others as you want them to treat you. So, yes, there is an objective
moral code that we can base our decisions on, and it is the bible.
2) Should we just use a relative moral code and allow all cultures and individuals to
decide how to view morality: or, Can we somehow come up with a way to always know
what is right and wrong?
I do not think that all cultures are right. For example: human mutilation or cannibalism is
simply wrong! I do not see how this should become something that anyone is okay with. Also,
there is not always a way to know every time what is right and wrong for me. When it comes
down to it, I look towards the Bible, and prayer then decided based on everything I know before
I make those hard choices. For me, it is more about: I do not know what is right and wrong all
the time but with the Bible I can make better choices then just going off gut feeling.
3) Situational Differences: Can we always know the morally right choice to make in
every situation if all things are not equal based on time, history, society, culture,
individuals, etc.? Reflect and explain?
Define “morally right.” Who decides what is morally right? If its yourself then you will always
be right, but if its someone else that decides (with different views culture etc.) then, no. It is not
possible to always be right unless you have the exact same values and mindset.
For me I hope to use the Bible, and prayer to make the morally right choices but not even
the Bible has the answer for every problem. You can’t always be right no matter how much you
want to be. That’s why people often try to change history to stay right even when they are wrong.
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